What did I just do... - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

So I was getting really frustrated with ROMS not working right so I followed someones advice and used ODIN to upgrade to NC5. I got my phone right after launch and rooted it the day I got it, installed TWRP and I have always had an icon on the Samsung screen that is a little lock with the word custom under it and that is the only thing I have retained after upgrading. I can no longer flash a custom recovery via GooManager, the phone simply won't let me. I am guessing when I updated it put me on the latest bootloader and locked it. Is this the case? I really don't like the idea of safestrap, but if I have to use it now I guess I will. If it did indeed upgrade my bootloader, wouldn't the "Custom" icon have disappeared from my lock splash screen?
So what exactly have I done to my phone? Can anyone help me figure out where to go from here?

Custom splash screen only represents that the phone's flash counter has been triggered. Means nothing.
I can't believe you updated from an MDK phone man. If you want to continue to use custom rom's you'll have to use towel root and AT&T's 3.72 safestrap. And get comfortable with Odin. Unfortunately there's no way to get a true custom recovery back on your device.

TB13 said:
So I was getting really frustrated with ROMS not working right so I followed someones advice and used ODIN to upgrade to NC5. I got my phone right after launch and rooted it the day I got it, installed TWRP and I have always had an icon on the Samsung screen that is a little lock with the word custom under it and that is the only thing I have retained after upgrading. I can no longer flash a custom recovery via GooManager, the phone simply won't let me. I am guessing when I updated it put me on the latest bootloader and locked it. Is this the case? I really don't like the idea of safestrap, but if I have to use it now I guess I will. If it did indeed upgrade my bootloader, wouldn't the "Custom" icon have disappeared from my lock splash screen?
So what exactly have I done to my phone? Can anyone help me figure out where to go from here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what you did wrong is not research what you were doing.......I can;t believe you followed someone's advice to rid your phone of MDK...
.
this thread contains links and info you best read before proceeding any further
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501

Another one bites the dust. That's too bad. Sorry nothing can be done now
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Mistertac said:
Another one bites the dust. That's too bad. Sorry nothing can be done now
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if we had a dollar every time we see same or similar post....the aversion to reading and research is compelling

Aaaannnnddddd idiot of the day award goes to me. It had been so long since I had messesd with my phone that I didn't even know I still had an MDK device, I will miss it and I will be shunned for killing it, but life goes on.
I wish I had the power to sticky the threads that people should look at before attempting something like this instead of having useless, unupdated threads stickied in every subforum.

Related

Accept T-Mobile Update?

My Vibrant is telling me that T-Mobile has kindly sent me an update. I think it must be the GPS fix. It is rather persistent in that it won't let me choose when to install it. It will only allow me to delay for at most a day. This is quite annoying as I am preparing for a trip and really don't want to mess around with my phone right now.
I am running Vibrant9. Do I want to install this update? Is it gonna break anything? Thanks!
JJMT said:
My Vibrant is telling me that T-Mobile has kindly sent me an update. I think it must be the GPS fix. It is rather persistent in that it won't let me choose when to install it. It will only allow me to delay for at most a day. This is quite annoying as I am preparing for a trip and really don't want to mess around with my phone right now.
I am running Vibrant9. Do I want to install this update? Is it gonna break anything? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't break anything. Most are still waiting for the update. Personally I was impatient and flashed it through ODIN last night.
OK. I accepted the update. Phone is now stuck on "Vibrant" at reboot. Sigh. Proceeding to trying to restore ROM.
JJMT said:
OK. I accepted the update. Phone is now stuck on "Vibrant" at reboot. Sigh. Proceeding to trying to restore ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to the Development section that are a few threads about this. I looks like anyone with a lag fix, or GPS fix (from JI2) where having this issue, plus I have seen stock people having it too.
Or you can go read my blog post here. the post tells the steps I took to get back the JFD, but you could flash JI6 instead.
you will need to flash JI6 with ODIN to restore, you can not just do a nandroid restore, it is an issue with the kernel and nandroid does not restore/backup the kernel.
*facepalm*@Samsung
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803492
Anderdroid said:
*facepalm*@Samsung
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not Samsung or T-Mobile.. its that the OP performed tweaks so the ROM wasn't a 100.00% version of Stock. Tweaks including lag fixes, GPS fix, etc can cause this.
Personally, I don't know why if you're performing tweaks on your phone and are on a stock ROM. If you're going to tweak your phone, go the full way and tweak everything.
This is why t-mobile had the G2 nand locked..... so this type of user error won't cost them millions, replacing phones that the user messed up with blind stupidity.... that's only for the ones under warranty, you can still call in a lost phone and get replacements..
dan0zone said:
This is why t-mobile had the G2 nand locked..... so this type of user error won't cost them millions, replacing phones that the user messed up with blind stupidity.... that's only for the ones under warranty, you can still call in a lost phone and get replacements..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So now instead, they get flooded with returns because the phone isn't what people expected.
zephiK said:
It's not Samsung or T-Mobile.. its that the OP performed tweaks so the ROM wasn't a 100.00% version of Stock. Tweaks including lag fixes, GPS fix, etc can cause this.
Personally, I don't know why if you're performing tweaks on your phone and are on a stock ROM. If you're going to tweak your phone, go the full way and tweak everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not true, it is Samsung/T-Mobile fault. I know 3 people with 100% stock, unrooted, vibrants, 2 of them got stuck when they updated. the t-mobile forums filled with stock users with their phone stuck at the vibrant screen as well.
camalot said:
That's not true, it is Samsung/T-Mobile fault. I know 3 people with 100% stock, unrooted, vibrants, 2 of them got stuck when they updated. the t-mobile forums filled with stock users with their phone stuck at the vibrant screen as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And what are the chances of this?
Everybody lies.. especially when they're desperate and unwilling to accept the fact that they modified their phone. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't lie to T-Mobile and say that they didn't modify their phones if its "bricked." Because it is not bricked, all it takes is download mode and Odin. There are threads out there that break down on how to use Odin, it's not that difficult to do.
This is why I don't endorse "One Click" anything unless it is a long process. Sure, it makes everything easier but it makes people not think about what they're doing before they do it. Before one clicking, rooting was so simple, put something on your internal sd and boot into recovery and hit reinstall packages. If something like that is too difficult then they shouldn't be doing any modifications in the first place unless they understanding what they're doing.
The T-Mobile forum is not a valid source because there is no concrete proof that they didn't root their phone and modified something. Even rooting and removing bloatware then removing access to root would cause this.
Edit: Looking at the OP's recent posts.. he did indeed run a custom ROM but has possibly did some tweaking after reverting back to stock?
zephiK said:
And what are the chances of this?
Everybody lies.. especially when they're desperate and unwilling to accept the fact that they modified their phone. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't lie to T-Mobile and say that they didn't modify their phones if its "bricked." Because it is not bricked, all it takes is download mode and Odin. There are threads out there that break down on how to use Odin, it's not that difficult to do.
This is why I don't endorse "One Click" anything unless it is a long process. Sure, it makes everything easier but it makes people not think about what they're doing before they do it. Before one clicking, rooting was so simple, put something on your internal sd and boot into recovery and hit reinstall packages. If something like that is too difficult then they shouldn't be doing any modifications in the first place unless they understanding what they're doing.
The T-Mobile forum is not a valid source because there is no concrete proof that they didn't root their phone and modified something. Even rooting and removing bloatware then removing access to root would cause this.
Edit: Looking at the OP's recent posts.. he did indeed run a custom ROM but has possibly did some tweaking after reverting back to stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I know the 2 people that updated stock and got stuck at the vibrant screen were 100% stock because they both called me on what they need to do. one came over and I fixed it with ODIN back to stock (JI6) and the other just said he'd call TMO and get a replacement. they dont even know what rooting is, or that there is a site like that that they can get files to do "one click root"
OK. I'm the OP and I'm back. I was traveling today (with a phone flashed back to stock - that's as far as I got before getting kicked out of the hotel). I've now got the ROM restored and I'm where I was before trying to install the update.
My question is this (probably simple): my phone still wants to do the update. How do I make it go away? I can't install it, and I don't want to have to postpone it every day. Is there a cache I can clear or something?
You could just update it through Odin. I'm on stock with root and JAC's oc/uv kernel and the OTA failed but Odin worked perfectly.
Yes, I will try to flash it with odin when I have the time and interest, but for now I have neither, and I just want the phone to stop bugging me. Ideas?
JJMT said:
Yes, I will try to flash it with odin when I have the time and interest, but for now I have neither, and I just want the phone to stop bugging me. Ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will only stop once you are on JI6
camalot said:
It will only stop once you are on JI6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK. I guess I will have to try to push the update through odin. Can someone point me to a link to the files?
I'm kind of irritated by this whole thing. I'm pleased with tmo for pushing the update out, but I mean, really, even Windows allows you to decline to install an update.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=798125
chad658eku said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=798125
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the link. It really looks to me that I'm going to need to flash to a stock ROM before flashing JI6. That, as they say, is a bummer.
As I am actually quite content at the moment with Vibrant9, it really seems to me that it would be easier to somehow remove whatever it is on my phone that is requesting that I update. Presumably there is an update.zip file sitting somewhere, that will be copied into sdcard before the updater involves reboot recovery. Any ideas where to look?
I would really rather not do any further flashing until is an official Froyo to flash to.
JWhipple said:
So now instead, they get flooded with returns because the phone isn't what people expected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flooded with returns by morons who think they are smart.

[Q] TWRP/Custom Status

Hey guys. Sorry if this has been answered before. I've looked and didn't see it in here so I figured I'd ask. I really don't want to set my phone into "custom" status in case I drop it or break it somehow Anyway, my question is will installing TWRP recovery from GooManager get me a "custom" status? Also, if I install a custom ROM, is there anyway to "trick" it into saying "Official" when I have ROMs and TWRP installed? I really wanted to install ROMs, but I'm too afraid of dropping it or something while the ROM is installed. Thanks!
I believe the "Custom" shows up periodically if you have a custom ROM installed. But really, it shouldn't bother people so much. It's pretty easy to tell if a custom ROM is installed without rebooting the phone. If Verizon cared that much, they could find out. FWIW, I didn't see "Custom" with the open padlock at boot when running stock rooted (aside from during the root process using the pre-release kernel.) It was only after installing a custom ROM that I see it periodically now.
Tortuga said:
I believe the "Custom" shows up periodically if you have a custom ROM installed. But really, it shouldn't bother people so much. It's pretty easy to tell if a custom ROM is installed without rebooting the phone. If Verizon cared that much, they could find out. FWIW, I didn't see "Custom" with the open padlock at boot when running stock rooted (aside from during the root process using the pre-release kernel.) It was only after installing a custom ROM that I see it periodically now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply But the reason I'm asking is because I wanted to know if there's any way to install a recovery or custom ROM while keeping the "official" status for warranty reasons. Is there?
Dark_Spark said:
Thanks for your reply But the reason I'm asking is because I wanted to know if there's any way to install a recovery or custom ROM while keeping the "official" status for warranty reasons. Is there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you were to physically damage it, you would likely still be able to boot to download mode and Odin back to 100% stock. In that case you'd have what you are asking for. I don't believe there is a way to spoof the phone into thinking it's fully official. Like I said, if Verizon/Asurion/etc care enough, they should be able to find out unless you flash back to pre-root stock. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.
Tortuga said:
If you were to physically damage it, you would likely still be able to boot to download mode and Odin back to 100% stock. In that case you'd have what you are asking for. I don't believe there is a way to spoof the phone into thinking it's fully official. Like I said, if Verizon/Asurion/etc care enough, they should be able to find out unless you flash back to pre-root stock. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to ask a million questions, but I used to have my GS4 on the stock ROM but rooted but with TWRP recovery. The statuses everywhere read as Samsung Official. I mean even in ODIN mode too. Is that what they check for in the warranty process? Or can they detect if it was just rooted or have a custom recovery and deny a warranty claim? Thanks for your patience with me.
Dark_Spark said:
Sorry to ask a million questions, but I used to have my GS4 on the stock ROM but rooted but with TWRP recovery. The statuses everywhere read as Samsung Official. I mean even in ODIN mode too. Is that what they check for in the warranty process? Or can they detect if it was just rooted or have a custom recovery and deny a warranty claim? Thanks for your patience with me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happy to help...but I really don't know what Verizon or the insurance provider would check. Some individuals within those places will probably check more thoroughly than others. But I've heard several stories of people taking their phone to Verizon, the tech seeing that it's rooted/fully custom, and replacing it anyway.
If you ever need to take it in for a warranty claim (hardware issue) I'd go back to stock first, but that's my personal opinion.
Edit: Even if it's just stock w/ root, a decently savvy tech could tell just by looking into your app list and seeing "SuperSU" or "SuperUser" or any other root-required apps.
Dark_Spark said:
Hey guys. Sorry if this has been answered before. I've looked and didn't see it in here so I figured I'd ask. I really don't want to set my phone into "custom" status in case I drop it or break it somehow Anyway, my question is will installing TWRP recovery from GooManager get me a "custom" status? Also, if I install a custom ROM, is there anyway to "trick" it into saying "Official" when I have ROMs and TWRP installed? I really wanted to install ROMs, but I'm too afraid of dropping it or something while the ROM is installed. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No ,there is no method published till now. Possibility to do that is less then 20% since we cant access the hidden scripts for analysing binary counts..
Sent from my GT-I8552 using xda app-developers app
Tortuga said:
Happy to help...but I really don't know what Verizon or the insurance provider would check. Some individuals within those places will probably check more thoroughly than others. But I've heard several stories of people taking their phone to Verizon, the tech seeing that it's rooted/fully custom, and replacing it anyway.
If you ever need to take it in for a warranty claim (hardware issue) I'd go back to stock first, but that's my personal opinion.
Edit: Even if it's just stock w/ root, a decently savvy tech could tell just by looking into your app list and seeing "SuperSU" or "SuperUser" or any other root-required apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!

[Q] "Safely" flash a stock ME7 rom without locking?

First off, sorry if this has already been covered somewhere and I'm just not finding it.. I've been searching and reading a lot and l am learning a ton, I just cant seem to find an answer for sure..
Note - I am mostly a 'noob'. I have had other sammy phones (a Galaxy S and a Gnex) and have rooted them and put CWM and TWRP on em, and flashed many kinds of custom roms and stuff,, soft bricked em several times,, had to use ODIN to flash em back to stock and start over, followed instructional threads to hack around using ADB and Fastboot commands for different things, etc..Basic playing around with stuff like that. So I sorta know my way around the basics of playing with at least Sammy brand phones.
I recently bought a nice used S4 to play with. I immediately start looking at root instructions and bootloaders and roms,, and ran dead into the brick wall of it already having the ME7 devil on it and thus me being locked out beyond rooting. Since I wanted an S4 specifically for playing with ROMs, I sold that stock ME7 S4 and bought a different one that someone had already put TWRP on and a custom ROM. So now I should be good to go flashing away.
So my question is, if I ever do want to try running a stock ME7 rom sometime, is there one I can flash while playing around flashing trying out different roms that would NOT somehow lock the bootloader? I'm not talking about accepting a Verizon OTA update, I know better than that. I'm talking about manually flashing roms (I am assuming if I flashed a 100% stock Verizon rom it might screw myself and lock the bootloader,, maybe I am mistaken on that assumption idk). I'm seeing the "bonestock me7" rom here on XDA, would that be safe to try for a stock ME7 experience?
ok i'll shut up now,, sorry for the long post.
You're good to go. Just look in the dev section for one to your liking. I've been running BoneStock but there are others including one from andybones which completely stock. Stay clear of any ROM requiring you to Odin as I'd worry about that.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Cool. Thanks much for the help!
Basic operations
sohead said:
First off, sorry if this has already been covered somewhere and I'm just not finding it.. I've been searching and reading a lot and l am learning a ton, I just cant seem to find an answer for sure..
Note - I am mostly a 'noob'. I have had other sammy phones (a Galaxy S and a Gnex) and have rooted them and put CWM and TWRP on em, and flashed many kinds of custom roms and stuff,, soft bricked em several times,, had to use ODIN to flash em back to stock and start over, followed instructional threads to hack around using ADB and Fastboot commands for different things, etc..Basic playing around with stuff like that. So I sorta know my way around the basics of playing with at least Sammy brand phones.
I recently bought a nice used S4 to play with. I immediately start looking at root instructions and bootloaders and roms,, and ran dead into the brick wall of it already having the ME7 devil on it and thus me being locked out beyond rooting. Since I wanted an S4 specifically for playing with ROMs, I sold that stock ME7 S4 and bought a different one that someone had already put TWRP on and a custom ROM. So now I should be good to go flashing away.
So my question is, if I ever do want to try running a stock ME7 rom sometime, is there one I can flash while playing around flashing trying out different roms that would NOT somehow lock the bootloader? I'm not talking about accepting a Verizon OTA update, I know better than that. I'm talking about manually flashing roms (I am assuming if I flashed a 100% stock Verizon rom it might screw myself and lock the bootloader,, maybe I am mistaken on that assumption idk). I'm seeing the "bonestock me7" rom here on XDA, would that be safe to try for a stock ME7 experience?
ok i'll shut up now,, sorry for the long post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Writing the nand memory on this handset is nearly impossible through conventional means, suggest a maintenance jig for the board.
heyazzo said:
Writing the nand memory on this handset is nearly impossible through conventional means, suggest a maintenance jig for the board.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats the "nand memory"? the area of memory where the recovery/bootloader code is stored? and what do you mean by conventional means? like using CWM or TWRP I assume? what about ODIN? from prior experience ODIN has written over a custom bootloader that I had loaded with a stock one (if I remember right anyway, I think I've lost my custom CWM or TWRP bootloaders by flashing a stock rom via ODIN,, back on the Gnex, I have never tried that with an S4 but assume it would be the same deal). And whats a "maintenance jig"?
lol sorry for so many questions,, warned ya I was a NOOB
No such thing as a dumb question.
sohead said:
Whats the "nand memory"? the area of memory where the recovery/bootloader code is stored? and what do you mean by conventional means? like using CWM or TWRP I assume? what about ODIN? from prior experience ODIN has written over a custom bootloader that I had loaded with a stock one (if I remember right anyway, I think I've lost my custom CWM or TWRP bootloaders by flashing a stock rom via ODIN,, back on the Gnex, I have never tried that with an S4 but assume it would be the same deal). And whats a "maintenance jig"?
lol sorry for so many questions,, warned ya I was a NOOB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was always curious about things that I didn't understand. First, try to understand the security that's already on this device, then decide if an update really did kill one qfuse out of say 10-12 on the board depending on the lifecycle they gave this particular set of commo gear. Search MSM 8960 security, then get back to me via PM, I want to help you any way I can.

[Q] Im so frustrated. Bricked my phone 8 times today. How do I install CWM on i545?

So, I have the i545, it was updated to the newest firmware when I got it. Lucky!
I first tried all the old stuff like the noob I am. Bricked it a couple times, blah blah, fixed it.
I tried the newer stuff, and was successful in getting into the recovery, but all I can do is wipe personal data and cache, its not CWM. When I do, it gets locked into download odin section and says its broken essentially.
Any bootloader bricks it, and any attempt to do the newer stuff like Loki has bricked it. I have the original Rom saved, so I just have to push it through odin each time.
I want Hyperdrive rom, I am rooted, and I can't get the common "working" ways to work. What am I doing wrong? I just tried the loki method and it locked into odin download when it restarted.
I'm not frustrated at anyone here by any means, I know the big companies are jerks, and....I need help side stepping them...
Any suggestions?
Again, i545, 32gb, Verizon Galaxy s4. It is rooted. And I want Hyperdrive rom.
Thanks!
EDIT.
If there is a way through odin or something to push Hyperdrive, I dont need the CWM. Im just a simple custom rom user, nothing crazy. And if there is no way to go from the ME7 update, be it downgrade and then root and flash, be it odin, be in CWM or Loki method, etc., where do I go to add to the bounty?
Excessumcarcer said:
So, I have the i545, it was updated to the newest firmware when I got it. Lucky!
I first tried all the old stuff like the noob I am. Bricked it a couple times, blah blah, fixed it.
I tried the newer stuff, and was successful in getting into the recovery, but all I can do is wipe personal data and cache, its not CWM. When I do, it gets locked into download odin section and says its broken essentially.
Any bootloader bricks it, and any attempt to do the newer stuff like Loki has bricked it. I have the original Rom saved, so I just have to push it through odin each time.
I want Hyperdrive rom, I am rooted, and I can't get the common "working" ways to work. What am I doing wrong? I just tried the loki method and it locked into odin download when it restarted.
I'm not frustrated at anyone here by any means, I know the big companies are jerks, and....I need help side stepping them...
Any suggestions?
Again, i545, 32gb, Verizon Galaxy s4. It is rooted. And I want Hyperdrive rom.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your stuck at the moment there is no custom recovery for me7. Theres been about 100 posts/threads about it. Hashcode a member here is working on a safestrap for me7 so custom roms can be flashed I advise checking it out. Its in the general section.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=45185924
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
---------- Post added 2nd September 2013 at 12:07 AM ---------- Previous post was 1st September 2013 at 11:53 PM ----------
No way to downgrade or flash rom through odin. Like I said your stuck for moment on stock me7. In the thread I linked there is a donation link for hashcode with the safestrap. There is also a bounty page for unlocking the bootloader in the general section as well.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
Excessumcarcer said:
So, I have the i545, it was updated to the newest firmware when I got it. Lucky!
I first tried all the old stuff like the noob I am. Bricked it a couple times, blah blah, fixed it.
I tried the newer stuff, and was successful in getting into the recovery, but all I can do is wipe personal data and cache, its not CWM. When I do, it gets locked into download odin section and says its broken essentially.
Any bootloader bricks it, and any attempt to do the newer stuff like Loki has bricked it. I have the original Rom saved, so I just have to push it through odin each time.
I want Hyperdrive rom, I am rooted, and I can't get the common "working" ways to work. What am I doing wrong? I just tried the loki method and it locked into odin download when it restarted.
I'm not frustrated at anyone here by any means, I know the big companies are jerks, and....I need help side stepping them...
Any suggestions?
Again, i545, 32gb, Verizon Galaxy s4. It is rooted. And I want Hyperdrive rom.
Thanks!
EDIT.
If there is a way through odin or something to push Hyperdrive, I dont need the CWM. Im just a simple custom rom user, nothing crazy. And if there is no way to go from the ME7 update, be it downgrade and then root and flash, be it odin, be in CWM or Loki method, etc., where do I go to add to the bounty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would have helped you greatly to have research GS4 with ME7....it can ONLY be rooted at this time.
decaturbob said:
It would have helped you greatly to have research GS4 with ME7....it can ONLY be rooted at this time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first time it bricked itself I did some research. Found that the ME7 was a punk, found guides where people claimed to have gotten around it, which all failed. I presumed it had been cracked if there were ways posted, but after they failed I came here.
Excessumcarcer said:
The first time it bricked itself I did some research. Found that the ME7 was a punk, found guides where people claimed to have gotten around it, which all failed. I presumed it had been cracked if there were ways posted, but after they failed I came here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It bricked "itself" pretty amazing. You should do a little research before you mess with your phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app
jd1639 said:
It bricked "itself" pretty amazing. You should do a little research before you mess with your phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh, I could explain everything in detail and not joke around, but then I'd just be a jerk. I've rooted, installed bootloaders, roms, etc., on many phones, not just mine. I know what I'm doing so generally I don't have to research how to do it. I upgraded from a galaxy S3 with MOAR (rom) installed, also did paranoid rom right before, jumped in and hoped that the S4 would play nice. It didn't. And you won't find a post from me asking how to unbrick it. The original Rom was backed up, so nothing to fear. I understand that bricking a phone is part of the risk, and unbricking it is part of the knowledge one needs to jump in comfortably. I did it 8 times yesterday. I tried 5 methods, one I tried a couple times because I could get into the bootloader but it would freeze on removing the cache. After each different combo, it killed it. Once I felt defeated for the day I came here. Believe me, Im not the person who turns on their phone and posts for help about what to do after its on. ^_^
Well, all I can say is you're learning the s4 the hard way
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app
ME7 =no custom recovery =no custom ROMs.
Read the thread about SafeStrap being worked on by hashcode
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
jd1639 said:
Well, all I can say is you're learning the s4 the hard way
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the only way I learn. : ) Following the 50 million different articles and blogs and tutorials is the only way I ever find anything. Rarely do I get a piece of equipment that just works the first time with the common used method for it. That's never my luck. There's always something stupid that stops it. This is the same with everything in truth, cars, computers, phones, etc. Nothing has ever just worked for me. So, now I just throw things at it until something goes through. People say there's no way, well...if that's the case then all the DEV's should stop trying. lol. There is a way, we just have to find it.
Well, every phone is different and just jumping in on a new phone without knowing the issues and pitfalls because you rooted other phones being naive imo. I've rooted maybe a half dozen phones and countless roms but when i got my S4 i still waited a few days and just read. The point is no matter how many times you do something whenever you get something new/updated, be a phone or anything else, you should always take the time to read and read.
Edit:
Also because of these locked down bootloaders (like the sammy knox) i would if i were you do A LOT of reading before buying new phones in the future to make sure you CAN root and slap a custom recovery on it. The root and custom recoveries may be a thing of the past pretty soon and we'll be purchasing Developers and Google Play editions if we want custom stuff.

[Q] Please help!!!! Galaxy s4 :(

Im new to all this and ive also never used the site before so bear with me
I got my Galaxy for christmas 2013... With that being said, when I opened it I updated it with all the latest updates like it required. A few days later I remembered how much fun my last rooted phone was and decided to root it. I ended up rooting my galaxy s4 using a method I found which you download some chinese application to your pc, Plug in the phone, it reboots and does everything by itself. I checked and it was a successful root. Yay...Until I realized I wasnt done yet. Now my problem is that I DONT HAVE A CUSTOM RECOVERY. I CANT GET ONE BECAUSE OF THE ANDROID SOFTWARE VERSION, LATEST BUILD NUMBER AND SO ON. My root is completely useless! Im left frustrated because I cant get any great roms, and do cool root stuff simply because i need to install a custom recovery to flash any of these things.
I tried downloading one using a method i found from Galaxys4root.com or something like that for Clockworkmod recovery.. The guy said in the video to copy the two files for the custom recovery, and paste them in a folder (He navigates through es file explorer finds Data>Local>tmp at least I think... and then pastes it) my Galaxy had none of these folders nor would it let me create them! The only folder I could open was the "Data" folder. After that, there was nothing else... meaning no "Local" folder and obviously no "tmp" folder inside of the non-existing "local" folder. Therefor the terminal emulator cant find them or use them while theyre in the "download" folder of my phone. (unless you just type something different into the terminal emulater to allow it to run them but im still new to this so i dont know how to do that either. Other methods i found for installing a custom Recovery this were either the exact same thing, or for an older version that was before all the updates That I installed. keep in mind i got this phone for christmas 2013 so its running "Android 4.3" My model number is "SCH-I545" with buildnumber ending in "MK2".... ITS ALREADY ROOTED.
It seems like nobody has any other methods out with those versions and id REALLY REALLY like to take advantage of my root... If anybody knows how to help me install a custom recovery please let me know PS I HAVE VERIZON... (idk if that matters) THANKS!!!
andrew96m said:
Im new to all this and ive also never used the site before so bear with me
I got my Galaxy for christmas 2013... With that being said, when I opened it I updated it with all the latest updates like it required. A few days later I remembered how much fun my last rooted phone was and decided to root it. I ended up rooting my galaxy s4 using a method I found which you download some chinese application to your pc, Plug in the phone, it reboots and does everything by itself. I checked and it was a successful root. Yay...Until I realized I wasnt done yet. Now my problem is that I DONT HAVE A CUSTOM RECOVERY. I CANT GET ONE BECAUSE OF THE ANDROID SOFTWARE VERSION, LATEST BUILD NUMBER AND SO ON. My root is completely useless! Im left frustrated because I cant get any great roms, and do cool root stuff simply because i need to install a custom recovery to flash any of these things.
I tried downloading one using a method i found from Galaxys4root.com or something like that for Clockworkmod recovery.. The guy said in the video to copy the two files for the custom recovery, and paste them in a folder (He navigates through es file explorer finds Data>Local>tmp at least I think... and then pastes it) my Galaxy had none of these folders nor would it let me create them! The only folder I could open was the "Data" folder. After that, there was nothing else... meaning no "Local" folder and obviously no "tmp" folder inside of the non-existing "local" folder. Therefor the terminal emulator cant find them or use them while theyre in the "download" folder of my phone. (unless you just type something different into the terminal emulater to allow it to run them but im still new to this so i dont know how to do that either. Other methods i found for installing a custom Recovery this were either the exact same thing, or for an older version that was before all the updates That I installed. keep in mind i got this phone for christmas 2013 so its running "Android 4.3" My model number is "SCH-I545" with buildnumber ending in "MK2".... ITS ALREADY ROOTED.
It seems like nobody has any other methods out with those versions and id REALLY REALLY like to take advantage of my root... If anybody knows how to help me install a custom recovery please let me know PS I HAVE VERIZON... (idk if that matters) THANKS!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need to research what the heck you are doing before you jump into this game. Countless threads in these forums describing what and what can't be done to S4 concerning rooting, recoveries and roms.
1. the vroot method in NOT a recommended method, a much better one has been out there for several weeks where you dont have to deal with chinese software/malware
2. Your phone is a MK2 base and you CAN NOT LOAD any custom recoveries like CWM or TWRP The bootloader is locked down tight and the prospects of this ever being hacked is pretty slim to none becasue of the security features in place both hardware and software sides.
3. The only avenue for a custom ROM is thru safestrap and the only 4.3 base ROM compatible is Hyperdrive 12.0
so sit back and spend some time and educate yourself. At least your phone isn't a paperweight yet.
Well the last time I rooted my droid, it already had a recovery. I did a bunch of research I just should have waited.. is that rom any good? And is it possible for me to get?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Yes hyper drive is an excellent rom, however as mentioned above, since the first phones initial release there have been lock downs on the phones bootloader so be very careful on trying to apply any type of root or recovery
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Awesome! Well what would you personally recommend for someone in my situation? Should I wait until someone can break through MK2 then get a recovery when it is "safer" I guess, or unroot and do it all over again later (which would stuck because I don't wanna lose all my contacts and stuff).. Ive seen other people in my position and the are probably people trying to crack at it too.. The way I see it I already have the root.. I just need a safe way to get a recovery. I cant be COMPLETELY screwed lol. Thanks for all the input by the way. It's greatly appreciated!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
andrew96m said:
Awesome! Well what would you personally recommend for someone in my situation? Should I wait until someone can break through MK2 then get a recovery when it is "safer" I guess, or unroot and do it all over again later (which would stuck because I don't wanna lose all my contacts and stuff).. Ive seen other people in my position and the are probably people trying to crack at it too.. The way I see it I already have the root.. I just need a safe way to get a recovery. I cant be COMPLETELY screwed lol. Thanks for all the input by the way. It's greatly appreciated!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
safestrap has a recovery built in but as mentioned, you just can't load any rom you want...if you mean wait until they find a way to unlock the bootloader so custom recoveries like CWM or TWRP could run any ROMs...I hate to tell you, it is appearing to be highly unlikely to ever happen.
I looked up Hyperdrive and I liked it. Looked like a great rom and had everything I needed! Thanks alot. Would you by chance have any links for safestrap and hyperdrive 12.0? Because I didn't however find anyone using it on MK2 nor 4.3 so it kind of worries me.. Or if you know if a video, tutorial, or any kind of material with somebody using 4.3 and MK2 flashing hyperdrive through safestrap.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Hyper drive can be found under the Verizon Android development thread... Safe strap I believe is under the themes and apps and also under the original development threads, please read carefully when installing your recovey method, other than that you should be good to go
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
templton said:
Hyper drive can be found under the Verizon Android development thread... Safe strap I believe is under the themes and apps and also under the original development threads, please read carefully when installing your recovey method, other than that you should be good to go
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Safestrap is in dev section too...
safestrap enabled, Hyperdrive driven
Well I got safe strap. But while I was flashing the rom, the process stopped on a screen with a black background and whit text and I fell asleep waiting for it to finish... I woke up the next morning and my galaxy s4 has SCREEN BURN.... there's lines and text all over the screen no matter what I do with it.. So now I'm going to return it to best buy and get another one. This Sucks haha. But now i NEED to unroot it by tomorrow and i need to know how to do it since I'm still running MK2 and android 4.3... i never finished flashing the rom last night. I just pulled the battery while it was frozen and rebooted It back into stock. I appreciate everyone's help so far.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
andrew96m said:
Well I got safe strap. But while I was flashing the rom, the process stopped on a screen with a black background and whit text and I fell asleep waiting for it to finish... I woke up the next morning and my galaxy s4 has SCREEN BURN.... there's lines and text all over the screen no matter what I do with it.. So now I'm going to return it to best buy and get another one. This Sucks haha. But now i NEED to unroot it by tomorrow and i need to know how to do it since I'm still running MK2 and android 4.3... i never finished flashing the rom last night. I just pulled the battery while it was frozen and rebooted It back into stock. I appreciate everyone's help so far.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use SuperSu from the play store to do a full un-root. Then you should be good by the sounds of it.
Verizon Galaxy S4
SafeStrap
Hyperdrive 12
Sprint Galaxy S4
Philz
Carbon 4.4

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